


Under the Grey

by PreseaMoon



Series: modern au/babysitter kouen [1]
Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 05:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10690953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PreseaMoon/pseuds/PreseaMoon
Summary: featuring: Hakuren, Hakuei, and Hakuryuu, but debatable whether any of them warrant tagging.Also, yes, my modern aus both are not so ambiguously all the same continuity. The Babysitter En AU. This is sort of like the prologue/introductory to that.





	Under the Grey

**Author's Note:**

> featuring: Hakuren, Hakuei, and Hakuryuu, but debatable whether any of them warrant tagging.
> 
> Also, yes, my modern aus both are not so ambiguously all the same continuity. The Babysitter En AU. This is sort of like the prologue/introductory to that.

Six months ago Hakuyuu’s father died. 

The funeral was held the week after. Then, during the week following that it was decided that Hakuyuu would drop out of school. Not only that, but he would need to do as soon as possible to help maintain stability for the family and their business. Taking over was something he was always meant to do. Earning a degree was extraneous right rom the start. Going to a university and engaging in that lifestyle was something he did for his own enjoyment.

So when Hakuyuu was informed he’d need to pull out from classes he did so without complaint. It was his duty.

He dropped out of school with little notice and barely a word to his friends, who all learned of his father’s passing through channels other than him.

Despite being groomed for the better part of ten years to eventually take over their business he felt impossibly overwhelmed by the task. It was supposed to be years off, decades. It was supposed to be a gradual transition preceded by a period of working for his father. When he took over he would have the experience necessary to give him confidence.

Not now. Dropped into his lap without any notice, and then having to fight for it because more than one of his father’s advisors didn’t think and still don’t think he’s ready for it. Let someone else run things for a few years while the family grieves and Hakuyuu adjusts. 

And oh, wasn’t that a tempting offer. With what happened in the months following his father’s passing it was more than tempting. It felt like some kind of sin in the guise of salvation. Or perhaps the other way around. Sometimes he wonders if they would be better off that way, although he knows this is the path his father wanted for him.

He got an apartment back home. Close to the business. Not as close to his family, whom he did his best to support through his own grieving. For his own sanity he assumed Hakuren was covering most of the family angle while he kept them afloat on the business end.

It wasn’t smooth sailing, but it was manageable.

Then, four months ago, just two months after his father’s death, his little sister called. She said Mother was unwell, and that they needed him.

So he went home.

Now here he is, four months later, with two children under his guardianship. Parenting was the last thing he expected on top of everything else. A father figure role towards his younger siblings wasn’t unthinkable, but he thought that’d be further down the line. After they processed the loss and adjusted to Hakuyuu’s presence in their lives. 

He sublet the apartment he hadn’t settled into yet and this time bought a nice home in a nice neighborhood. It’s much smaller than their mother’s home and relatively close to Hakuryuu’s close. There’s a private backyard where no one will be able to see them play and the neighbors are similarly wealthy and respectful o minding their own business. Hakuyuu had the place furnished and their things moved in prior to their arrival. Inside and out there is little resemblance to their parents’ home, and he’s undecided on whether that’s beneficial or not.

Right now he’s leaning towards it being unhelpful if not an outright negative. The unfamiliarity has left his little brother so wary he hasn’t taken one step closer to the house after getting out of the car.

Hakuyuu has tried everything he can think of to no avail. Playful and light, hoping Hakuryuu would follow along when big brother and big sister demonstrated that everything was okay. When met with reason Hakuryuu nodded along with him and seemed to understand, and then stayed rooted in place. The few bribes Hakuyuu dared try were met with pouts. Being firm made Hakuryuu tear up thinking he’d made him angry. 

Hakuyuu doesn’t have the heart to act like he’d leave him on the sidewalk until he’s ready to come in. Just thinking of going through with it prickles him with guilt. Hakuryuu would probably stand there and cry until Hakuyuu or Hakuei came back for him. Then it’d be even harder to get him inside.

The counselor Hakuyuu spoke with advised him to be patient with the kids and take it slow, which is fine in theory but becoming increasingly arduous in practice. 

Hakuei is doing her best to be strong. She looks out for Hakuryuu in the ways Hakuyuu can’t and is on top of making sure Hakuyuu takes care of himself when he starts feeling he can’t. She’s managed her schoolwork and activities flawlessly ever since their father’s passing. On top of that she kept things together when it was just she, Hakuryuu, and their mother’s declining health. 

His sister is an amazing little girl, with a sense of duty and responsibility that most ten year olds don’t have to acquire. For this reason, or perhaps it is simply part of how she grieves, Hakuei is reluctant to open up to him. Not about their father’s passing, only a little bit about their mother, and not at all about how she’s faring with… all of this put together. She gives him non-answers that are meant to reassure him but do anything but. She hugs him and says she’s doing her best.

It’s something Hakuyuu figures will come with time, but every moment feels so dire and important. Like, what if now is the time he needs to be pushing. What if this is one of the things he can’t let pass by. What if with just a little more prodding his sister will finally open her heart to him and let everything out alongside her tears.

He’s woefully out of his depth.

Then there’s Hakuryuu, who tears up at the wrong tone and is constantly asking questions Hakuyuu has no idea how to answer. Practically every other word out of his baby brother’s mouth that isn’t an impossible question is “Mama said,” and it is rapidly wearing down the patience Hakuyuu is supposed to have. Every time something is said that Hakuryuu doesn’t care for he will say something to the effect of, “Mama said I don’t have to.” Mother’s word trumps big brother’s every time, in every scenario.

Mama said I do not have to go to school.

Mama said I can bring home kittens.

Mama said I can stay up late.

Mama said I can use knives.

Mama said school is dangerous.

Mama said this and Mama said that… It’s endless. Hakuyuu wouldn’t mind so much if their mother didn’t actively undermine his authority every chance she gets. He’s barely had these kids in his custody two months and he’s already found a cellphone hidden amongst his brother’s belongings. Their mother claimed ignorance when confronted, of course, and Hakuryuu wouldn’t confess how he got it, either.

Sometimes all of this is so frustrating he’s left wondering if he can handle it at all. Handle them on top of the stress of the business. So many nights he’s laid awake in bed for hours, letting his mind wander to endless possibilities. Trying to figure out what he can do differently, what maybe he should have done differently. How he can be the guardian and parent they need. Whether he’s capable doesn’t matter much, in the end. There’s no one else who can take them. 

Hakuyuu is about ready to drop to his knees and plead with his baby brother to not be so difficult. Please, can’t this one thing go smoothly. Please, can’t they just… go into their new home together and find a bit of happiness. Please, he’s doing his best, he promises. 

Give him something to work with.

He doesn’t know how to do this.

Hakuei keeps an arm around Hakuryuu, holding him close and letting him press his face to her side. An eye peeks out and wanders the yard, catching on ornaments and flowers. Then hides once noticing Hakuyuu’s attention. 

Finally, Hakuyuu gives in. He does what he wanted to do the moment his bribes failed. Crouching in front of the both of them, he pulls them into his arms. After a moment to let them relax in the reassurance of his embrace he lifts them into the air. A surprised gasp comes from Hakuei while Hakuryuu whines.

Once he improves his grip on them so they won’t shift or slip away, Hakuyuu walks them to the house, feeling both relieved and burdened with every step. Inside, he puts down Hakuei. During the short trip Hakuryuu’s hold on her became lax, so he remains in Hakuyuu’s arms. Hakuyuu rotates his upper body slowly, giving the lay of the room as if to say, “see, this isn’t so scary is it?”

His little brother does not find it so inspiring. He regards the entryway and the connecting rooms cautiously, without a bit of curiosity.

“Do you want to see your room?” Hakuyuu asks. “Hakuei is excited to see hers.”

Hakuryuu shrugs. After a glance to Hakuei for reassurance he looks at him to say, “Okay.”

The room is roughly the same size as Hakuryuu’s last, but looks bigger since there’s less in it. Nearly everything in the room is brand new, from the furniture to the majority of the toys and decorations. A few things he managed to bring over from their parents’ home, but their mother makes accomplishing anything such an ordeal. To their mother, everything has become a bargaining chip. Mind games, especially ones that revolve around his guardianship of his siblings, are not something Hakuyuu has the interest or energy to play. If there is something in their old rooms they simply cannot live without, Hakuyuu will deal with it later.

In the meantime, Hakuyuu has done his best to provide his siblings with suitable bedrooms. There wasn’t really time to consult their current interests and preferred styles. For the most part he figured they could change things as they went. There were a few requests he could fulfill for Hakuei ahead of time, but none for Hakuryuu.

While Hakuryuu explores the room, putting his hands on everything the way children do, Hakuyuu lies down on the bed. It’s too big for a kid his brother’s age, but that’s on purpose. Its duvet is navy with stars of all sizes splattered across it and there are more pillows than needed. The moment Hakuyuu closes his eyes exhaustion hits him full force. They have barely made it to the afternoon but Hakuyuu feels as though he’s been up for days.

Since he’s managed to stabilize what he could on the business end, his father’s most trusted subordinates are running things while Hakuyuu takes care of his siblings. Then once they’re settled to his satisfaction he’ll resume working, but he has no idea how much. It’s too soon to consider. He has to convince Hakuryuu that going to school isn’t that scary. He has to find a babysitter. He has to make sure the kids are comfortable. He needs to learn to cook and manage the house and has to check on his mother.

As soon as one thing is resolved another three or five pop up, oftentimes without any warning. The stress drains him every moment he’s awake.

Hakuyuu yawns and opens his arms up. “Hakuryuu. Want to come here?” He beckons him over with his fingers.

Hakuryuu turns away from the toy chest he was looking through. After a brief once over where he’s looking for Hakuyuu can only guess what, he shuffles to the bed and climbs onto it. He snuggles close to his chest and Hakuyuu feels warmth blossom there.

“Do you like your room?” Hakuyuu asks, pushing a hand through Hakuryuu’s hair.

He feels Hakuryuu nod. “Yes. What about my other room?”

“It’s still there.”

“Can I go there?”

Hakuyuu takes a breath, which he proceeds to turn into a fake yawn when he realizes the possibility of his brother picking up on his exasperation. He moves his shoulders gently to shake Hakuryuu and gives an exaggerated groan. “We’ve talked about this. We have, right?”

After a moment, a slight hesitation, Hakuryuu nods.

“Is there something you need in your old room?”

“No, I don’t think so. I just want to go there. Mama said I can go there whenever I want.”

Hakuyuu hums. “Not exactly. This is your home now, our home. You know that, right?”

“But…”

“We might have a chance to visit Mama in a few weeks. I know you miss her. So does Hakuei and I miss her too. But we need to focus on us for a little bit, okay?”

“Why?”

“Because we need to take care of ourselves before we can start taking care of others.”

“And what’s wrong with Mama?”

“She’s… heartsick, I guess you could say.”

“And how did she get heartsick? Because Papa is gone?”

“Yeah. She needs some time, that’s all.”

“How much?”

“I… I don’t know, but we’re going to do our best, isn’t that right?”

Hakuryuu doesn’t speak, and although he gives a small nod there is some kind of resistance buried in his silence. Or perhaps doubt is a better word to use. Ever since Hakuyuu has had them placed in his care his little brother’s typical subdued enthusiasm has been marred by doubts. For Hakuyuu it is a subtle thing to notice, but Hakuei confirmed it for him.

While Hakuyuu searches for something to say, their mild peace is disturbed by a phone’s shrill ring. It jolts him from the half-slumber he’d started to slip into, making him clutch Hakuryuu tight and snap his eyes open. The tone is familiar, but for several dreadful seconds his adrenaline spikes thinking his mother has smuggled Hakuryuu yet another cellphone already. Thankfully it’s only Hakuren.

Silencing the ringer he asks, “Would you like to talk to Brother Ren?”

Hakuryuu turns around in his arms and reaches for the phone, looking the picture of Hakuren over before nodding.

Hakuyuu accepts the call, hands it to his brother, and lets his eyes drift shut again.

“Brother Ren! Hi … I’m okay. … Yes. I have a new room and so does Big Sister.” Hakuryuu’s soft voice becomes a comforting drone that begins to tug Hakuyuu’s senses back towards sleep. Bits of the conversation he picks up, but little of it makes sense one-sided. Eventually Hakuryuu is pushing him until he has his attention. He looks up at him with a frown. “Big Brother Yuu. Brother Ren.” And he offers the phone to him. 

He’d rather not. That’s why he handed the phone to Hakuryuu in the first place. But without even a sigh he takes the phone and holds it to his ear.

“What do you need, Ren?”

“Need? Big Brother, what makes you think I need anything?” Then before there’s a chance for Hakuyuu to suggest there may be reason for him to think that, Hakuren hurries on to his reason for calling. “How are you doing?”

In the past six months Hakuyuu has been asked that more times than he can count, from strangers and friends and now colleagues. A few bold journalists even approached him for an interview or two. There is something inherently different when the question comes from his brother, since they are ostensibly going through the same thing. The loss of a parent hasn’t been any easier for Hakuren, but Hakuyuu doesn’t exactly want to bond with him over it. He doesn’t want to think about how he has or hasn’t been coping with the grief, and then with the things that came after.

Evading is probably too telling of an answer, but that’s what Hakuyuu decides to do. “What about you? Have you been adjusting to higher education just fine?”

Hakuren laughs, possibly at him. “Yeah, everything’s fine on that front. Everyone I meet seems to want to ask about you, though. Even the teachers. The popular one as always, huh.”

The life he left behind is the absolute last thing Hakuyuu wants to talk about.

“That’s good. I’m glad.” He waves his hand in front of Hakuryuu’s face to get his attention and play with him. “When are you planning to visit? The kids can’t wait to see you.”

Hakuryuu immediately takes hold of his hand with both of his small ones. “Brother Ren is coming?”

“You are underhanded, Big Brother.”

“If you left now you’d make it before nightfall.”

Hakuren laughs again, but then his voice comes out serious. “Do you need me to come?”

“Ah… You’re expected now.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

Hakuryuu whines and tugs at him, climbs on him. “Big Brother, is Brother Ren coming?”

“Hakuryuu!” Hakuren calls out from his end of the line, and Hakuryuu returns the cry and makes a grab for the phone. Hakuyuu just pulls it slightly away so they can both hear. “Don’t worry, Hakuryuu, your brother is on the way!”

After that they say their goodbyes and Hakuyuu suggests telling Hakuei the news. So Hakuryuu clambers off the bed and rushes off, his feet sliding on the wood floor in his excitement.

Hakuyuu rolls to his back and drags his hands down his face. Talking with Hakuren isn’t exactly his ideal way to spend the weekend, but his presence will do wonders for the kids. It may or may not be the best way to put it, but Hakuren is the fun big brother who’s been around and Hakuyuu is the big brother who’s lived several hours away for the last three or so years. It’s not like his younger siblings don’t know him or are wary of him, but there is distance. Hakuei’s respect for him has always taken the form of formality akin to the kind she showed their father, which is noticeably absent in her interactions with Hakuren. Hakuryuu is trickier in that now Hakuyuu has to be the adult he hides behind when it wasn’t that long ago he was hiding from Hakuyuu behind their mother’s skirts.

Easing the distance into a firm bond has been a slow but certain process. All the grief that’s rained down upon them hasn’t made it any easier. It made a few shortcuts, but closed doors at the same time. Still, it is getting done, and Hakuyuu needs to take advantage of opportunities to improve and reinforce their bond however and whenever he can. The easiest way to do that right now Hakuren.

After some time, it seems like Hakuryuu doesn’t have the intention of returning to the room with their sister, so Hakuyuu drags himself from the bed and to his own room. The movers placed all the furniture, but there are boxes with his personal effects that need to be strewn with his discretion. For this reason it’s barer than either of the kids’ rooms but just as impersonal.

His old room, his old place, was a perfect embodiment of a twenty-one year old university student. It was the perfect size for just him, with a guest room for Hakuren when he came to visit. There were posters on the walls that pointed to his interests and for local shows and other events. The design was high end and modern. His fridge was more for alcohol and leftovers than food to be prepared.

This house isn’t bad. Hakuyuu doesn’t dislike it and it’s not as if he’s neglecting to stylize it to his standards. But it’s fundamentally different in all the ways that matter. It’s homey where his apartment was fun. It has all the appliances he might possibly need for if he decides to handle chores himself rather than hire a service. Instead of fellow students and young adults, his neighbors are all couples and a decade older than him at least. Everything about this place is a tether dragging him closer and closer to settling down, something Hakuyuu thought was so far away he couldn’t see a speck of it on the horizon.

His father’s death, his mother’s declining health, becoming the guardian of his young siblings, these things don’t necessarily demand he change. Not individually, at least. When melded together this way it’s like survival mode is solidifying into his core personality, and it’s… not something he particularly wants to mull over.

Hakuyuu changes into something loose to laze around the house in, because he can’t imagine he’ll be going out once for the next twelve hours or more. He pointedly avoids thinking about the things he used to be doing on a Thursday night.

After taking a nap he wakes to find a bundle of warmth pressed to each side. Far from an unwelcome way to wake up, nor an uncommon one. A few days each week he’ll have a kid or two crawling into his bed. His plan was to nap then do some unpacking, but it’s hard to prioritize in this position.

So much needs to be done all the time. Time for himself to relax or indulge no long exists. Every moment since the news of his father’s death arrived there has been something to take care of. The business, the funeral, his father’s local and foreign associates, his mother, his parents’ house, the kids. As soon as one issue resolved another few pop up to take its place.

When they wake up they chat quietly about the plans for the night, the things they might do when Hakuren arrives and what they’ll have for dinner.

Hakuren arrives just as the sun is beginning to set and the kids rush to greet him with more energy than Hakuyuu has seen from either of them in months.

Hakuren for his part looks well, with a recent haircut and new clothes. He looks like someone who’s attending college not high school. There’s a bit more maturity in his face, alongside a solemnity that renders his carefree expression slightly unrecognizable. 

After they take an enjoyable near half an hour to settle on what to order in for dinner, they take another half hour to decide on what board game to play. Since Hakuryuu is too young for complicated games, they let him choose the games and teams he wants.

It’s fun, and reminiscent of the nights they’d spend together when Hakuyuu came home to visit. Though, many of those times Hakuryuu was too young to participate, and oftentimes their mother would join them. Luckily playing now doesn’t lead to any tears or uncomfortable questions. They can simply enjoy one another’s company like they haven’t lost their parents.

Until then, Hakuyuu didn’t realize how much he needed something like this.

When there’s a spare moment, the kids distracted with food and it’s just the two of them in the kitchen grabbing napkins and drinks, Hakuren grabs his elbow. “Hey. Want me to handle them for the night?”

Fast than he can think the course of action through, he decides to play dumb. “What are you talking about?”

“You know.” Hakuren glances at the living room and nods his head that direction. “I can play with them and put them to bed, and you can go out.”

Hakuyuu sighs before he can stop himself. “Go out and do what?”

“A bar? A club? Get drunk? See some friends? How long has it been since you got laid?” Then before Hakuyuu can answer he goes on, “Too long. That’s how long it’s been, and you deserve a break.”

“I should be here.”

“Did I say _deserve_? What I meant was earned. You have _earned_ a break, Big Brother, and are required to take it.”

Hakuyuu cracks a smile. “Maybe I want to spend my hard earned break with my younger brother, who’s gone so far out of his way to help out.”

“Hardly out of my way. It’s my family too.”

After a silence, Hakuyuu says, “I don’t want to go out. I’m tired, and nothing is what it should be. I’d much rather hang out with you tonight.”

“Yeah? Well, I’m not gonna complain. Then let’s drink until we can’t see straight.” At the look Hakuyuu gives him he amends, “Or drink just the right amount to get a buzz but not hung over. Like the responsible semi-adults we are.”

“That we can do.”

The kids end up staying up later than their bedtimes due to the excitement that comes along with Hakuren’s presence. Hakuyuu lets Hakuryuu’s slide by without comment, deciding he’ll let him wear himself out with his chatter and insistence to play games. Then, around when Hakuei’s bedtime arrives he can barely keep his eyes open, and Hakuyuu takes him to get ready for bed. 

“I’ll head off to bed, too,” Hakuei says when he returns.

Hakuren stops her. “No, come on, sit with us a little bit. We can play grownup games. You know how to play poker by now, don’t you, Ei?” 

Hakuei takes a seat on the couch beside him. “No, I don’t, actually.”

“You wanna learn, right? It’s a very valuable skill. Big Brother Yuu agrees.”

Hakuei looks at him with a hint of amusement to see if he’ll go along with the claim.

Hakuyuu sits on a lounge chair and reclines it back. “I’m not sure you’re good enough at poker for it to qualify as a valuable skill. She’s better off learning on her own.”

Hakuren gasps in mock indignation. “I can’t believe you’d say that. I beat you. I mean, sometimes I do anyway.”

No one moves to pull out a pack of cards or set up any type of game. Hakuei, however, starts cleaning up, putting cushions back in their proper place and putting the trash together in one bag. She piles the board game boxes in a neat stack.

“Hakuei, you’re going to school tomorrow, aren’t you?”

“Of course.”

“And… Hakuryuu’s not?”

She doesn’t answer at first, trying to put together a tactful answer before she speaks. “I tried talking to him about it, but he wouldn’t.”

“Alright. That’s fine,” he says even though it’s not. “You can watch him while I get her to school in the morning?”

The other options are to wake Hakuryuu up to come along or move him while he’s sleeping, neither of which he wants to go through. Hakuei could probably handle getting to school by herself, by Hakuyuu wants to see for himself the route she will regularly be taking before he lets it out of his hands.

Hakuren gives him a lazy thumbs-up. “Say no more. It is already taken care of. We’ll have so much fun it’ll make him wish he were in school.”

If Hakuren were able to convince their little brother to start attending school he’d cover his nights out for a year. But as much as Hakuryuu adores him, Hakuyuu doubts anything will be able to sway him other than their mother.

“Is there anything else you need for school? Or people I need to meet with?” He should already know but he doesn’t, or has forgotten. There’s too much to keep track of on his own.

Hakuei is quick to shake her head. She strives to create as little trouble for him as possible, which he is simultaneously grateful for and worried by.

Then she goes on to bed as well, leaving the two of them to themselves and Hakuren wastes no time in pulling out a bottle of whiskey. He pours them both glasses and takes his seat again.

“So. How have you been, really?” he starts off with, and Hakuyuu wishes he had started anywhere else.

Hakuyuu shrugs. “As well as circumstances will permit.”

“That’s a business, non-answer. You know I’m Hakuren, right? Your brother?”

“Yeah. I don’t know. I haven’t been thinking about it. Just trying to keep things together.”

“And doing a fantastic job from what I’ve gathered.”

Hakuyuu pushes back the urge to shrug, and instead takes a drink, downing half the glass. A fantastic job, a great job, that’s what everyone has been telling him. No one can argue he’s been doing anything but an admirable job taking care of the various duties he’s been handed. That’s not the issue, and if it were, it would be the least of his concerns.

The real issue is how long will he be able to keep it up. How long will it take for his exhaustion and grief to catch up with him and impact his performance at work or handling these kids? It’s not something he wants to think about too deeply, but he feels he has to. There needs to be something more that will support them that won’t simultaneously drain the life from them.

“Once things get more settled, here and with me, they should come stay with me for a weekend. It’d be good for everybody. Or you could find someone to watch them for the night and we could go out.”

Now Hakuyuu does sigh. “I don’t think that’s going to be anytime soon.”

“You need a break, Yuu.”

“I know. But I can keep going for now.”

Hakuren crosses his arms and gives him a look. “You better not collapse or something.”

“I won’t.”

“You better not. If you do I’ll have to move in or something.”

Hakuyuu finishes his drink. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Or I’ll have to move next door.”

“That won’t be happening, either.”

Hakuren hunches over and clasps his hands together. He glances towards the kids’ bedrooms. “I’m just worried, you know?”

“Yeah.” Hakuyuu is too, but it’s too much to admit. He can’t tell if Hakuren is looking for solidarity in his worry or to lean on his big brother. 

He pours himself another drink, and decides to be strong.


End file.
